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RD: Timeslides
Overview The developing fluid that Kryten uses to process old photographs mutates and the photographs come alive. The crew find they can go into the photograph, and Lister finds that the photographs allow them to go back in time. Using this he plans on changing history so that he does not end up marooned in deep space. Summary Lister is bored - bored with Scrabble, bored with table golf, bored with Durex volleyball - even bored with Junior Angler. He tells Cat and Rimmer that he hates his life on Red Dwarf. During the conversation, Rimmer reminisces about a former schoolmate, Fred "Thickie" Holden, who despite being one of the stupidest boys in class went on to earn an immense fortune with an invention called the Tension Sheet, which, as Rimmer states, is merely bubble wrap that has been painted red with the words "Tension Sheet" written on it. Meanwhile, while working in the ship's darkroom, Kryten accidentally discovers that the developing fluid can make photographs come to life. The same thing is possible with slides, and soon the crew are stepping into photographs and back in time. The only problem is that they can't move outside the borders of the original photo. Lister decides to go back in time and change history by giving the Tension Sheet invention to his 17-year-old self. This creates unforeseen changes in the present, as the Cat and Kryten disappear (as Lister never smuggled Frankenstein, so the Cat Race never existed and since no-one was able to pilot a transport craft, they never rescued Kryten from the Nova 5), leaving Rimmer alone with Holly. Deciding that this is not on, Rimmer visits Lister, hoping to persuade him to come back to Red Dwarf, claiming "it is my duty. My duty as a complete and utter bastard!". Lister, however – now living in a mansion with a supermodel – fails to recognise him, and tells the butler to throw him out. Rimmer decides to take it upon himself to restore the time-lines to normal, and travels even further back in time to give the secret of the Tension Sheet to his younger self. However, Rimmer's plan is overheard by his younger self's bunk room schoolmate, Fred Holden. Upon returning to the present, everything is put back exactly the way it was. Lister, Cat and Kryten re-appear and Rimmer waits to disappear to fame and riches. However, nothing happens as Holly explains the Tension Sheet was invented by one "Thicky" Holden. But one thing is different; Rimmer is now alive, not a hologram. Delighted, he rushes out into a corridor, slams his fists down on top of some innocuous-looking crates and accidentally blows himself up. Notes *The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 12 December 1989 in the 9:00pm evening time slot. Although the episode is not remembered as much as its fellow Series III efforts - "Backwards" and "Polymorph" - it was still rated highly. 'Reviews by Gavrielle' remarking that the episode was "brilliant from start to finish." *One of the Timeslide photos shows Adolf Hitler, leader of the "runners-up" in World War II, in Nuremberg. Lister comes back from the Timeslide with a suitcase from Staff Colonel Von Stauffenberg, who was a key member in the assassination attempt on Hitler, although in reality the bomb had been hidden in the colonel's briefcase, not Hitler's. The possibilities of the Timeslides are endless, as Lister says, that they could go back and convince Dustin Hoffman not to make Ishtar. With the timelines changed Lister is now famous and rich as shown in a news reel. He bought Buckingham Palace just to gravel his drive. He called his home "Xanadu", not as a reference to the movie Citizen Kane, but rather as a tribute to the hit single by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. The wealthy Lister is profiled in a fictional TV show as a spoof of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Lister's teenage self continually accuses him of being a crypto-facist. *Several changes to "Timeslides" were done as part of it being remastered in 1998. The special guest star Adolf Hitler mention has been removed from the opening credits. Lister kicking the bomb into the timeslide has been tightened and a fire element added to explosion. Lister's reference to the Dustin Hoffman movie Ishtar has been removed. Xanadu and Citizen Kane references have been removed. A running water video effect has been added to rich Lister's huge statue. *It is theorised that Rimmer's encounter with himself aged 8 made the version of himself from 3 week before the radiation leak less disturbed by his encounter with his future self and listened to his future self's advice and put himself into stasis, which was how he was alive at the end of this episode (briefly). *Ironically, if Rimmer was successful in changing his timeline as he had intended, the Cadmium 2 radiation leak would never had happened as the drive plate would've been fitted properly, the Cat race would never have existed and Kryten would still be trapped on the Nova 5 and Lister would've lived a relatively normal life regardless of what happened. Also the timeslides would never have existed, which meant that they couldn't go back in time to alter history in the first place, creating a paradox similar to that in Out of Time. *This is the first time we see Kryten remove his eyes (to wipe them before reattaching them to his head). *Craig Charles' brother Emile played the younger version of Lister. *This is the only episode where we see the younger versions of Lister and Rimmer (played by Emile Charles and Simon Gaffney, respectively) in the same episode. *Kryten at one point suggests returning to the site of JFK's assassination in 1963 (and calling at the president to duck), foreshadowing the events of Tikka to Ride years later. *The Cat appears to have learned a lot about playing golf since his club-throwing attempt at the sport in Better Than Life. *This is the second episode (after Stasis Leak) to introduce a substantial change to the personal timeline of the Red Dwarf crew. Although Lister's alternate history is erased, Rimmer's changed history is not, meaning that from here forward, everyone else on Red Dwarf has always known Rimmer to be alive (which means certain events, such as the events of the preceding episode Bodyswap, now never happened). However, for reasons not explained, Rimmer and Holly remain aware of the changed history, so while returning to hologram form would not be a big adjustment to Rimmer, it would be for Lister and the others. Also left unaddressed is whether, in the newly created timeline, another hologram had been created (such as Kristine Kochanski). Noteworthy Dialogue *'Lister:' It's the first song I wrote... It's called 'Ohmmm'! *'Rimmer addressing the now-rich Lister:' You call this happiness? Surrounded by toadying lackeys and paid sycophants? Living with a love goddess, sex-bomb model megastar. You call this contempt? Y'know, I stand here now, and I look at the two of us, and I ask one simple question: who is the rich man? You, with your fifty-eight houses, your private island in the Bahamas, your multi-billion pound business empire, or me, with...with...with what I've got? (After a few moments of silence) It's you isn't it? *'The now-alive, not-a-hologram-anymore-and-feeling-spectacular-about-it Rimmer:' I'm alive! I can touch! I can feel! I can fondel! I'm alive! Don't you think it's incredible?! I AM ALI- (explosion) '''The Cat:' What was he saying? Lister: (Shrugs) Background Information Due to a continuity error certain lines had to be cut from the skiing holiday picture scene. The scene established that Lister had got somebody's skiing holiday pictures back by mistake. The skiers were scripted to discuss about how they received Lister's rather scary birthday snaps in place of theirs. Craig Charles realised that this was a continuity flaw as at that time, the skiers would not have received them yet. The lines were cut, but as they were originally speaking parts, Louisa Ruthven and Mark Steel were still credited for their parts. The episode featured music from Craig Charles. Not only did he write "Bad News" and "Cash" but he penned the "Om" song which was sung by the young Lister, who was played by Emile Charles, Craig's brother. Young Lister was lead singer in the band 'Smeg and the Heads', portrayed by Jeffrey Walker and Bill Steer of real-life band Carcass. Simon Gaffney played the Young Rimmer. Robert Addie played Gilbert, Lister's servant. Rupert Bates and Richard Hainsworth each played as one of Lister's Bodyguards. Stephen McKintosh played Thickie Holden, Rimmer's roommate and inventor of the Tension Sheet. Louisa Ruthven appeared as Ski Woman and Mark Steel appeared as Ski Man in one of the Timeslide photos, Koo Stark played Lady Sabrina Mulholland-Jjones, Lister's "most desirable woman in the western hemisphere" fiancée. Ruby Wax, director Ed Bye's wife, played Blaize Falconberger, the host of the fictional TV show ''Lifestyles of the Disgustingly Rich and Famous. Chris Barrie also appears in one slide as Rimmer's Brother Frank, it is a picture of Frank Rimmer's wedding which Lister manages to accidentally gatecrash, leading an annoyed Frank to repeatedly punch Lister in the stomach. Guest Stars *Ruby Wax as Blaize Falconberger. *Koo Stark as Lady Sabrina Mulholland-Jjones *Emile Charles as Young Lister. *Simon Gaffney as Young Rimmer. *Robert Addie as Gilbert. *Rupert Bates as one of Lister's Bodyguards. *Richard Hainsworth as one of Lister's Bodyguards. *Stephen McKintosh as Thickie Holden *Mark Steel as a Skier. *Louisa Ruthven as a Skier. References Other articles of things featured in this particular episode Category:Episodes Category:Series III Episodes